Atharva Veda 20.21.9: Kanda 20, Anuvaka 3, Sukta 21, Mantra 9

Sukta 21

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

त्वमे॒तां ज॑न॒राज्ञो॒ द्विर्दशा॑ब॒न्धुना॑ सु॒श्रव॑सोपज॒ग्मुषः॑ । ष॒ष्टिं स॒हस्रा॑ नव॒तिं नव॑ श्रु॒तो नि च॒क्रेण॒ रथ्या॑ दु॒ष्पदा॑वृणक्

Recitation with translationAtharva Veda 20.21.9

IAST Transliteration

tvám etā́m janarājñó dvír-daśā́-bandhúnā suśrávasopajagmúṣaḥ | ṣaṣṭíṃ sahásrā navatíṃ náva śrutó ní cakréṇa rathyā́ duṣpádā ’vṛṇak

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Thou didst perform this deed for the people’s king, when Suśravas, drawing near with his twice-tenfold band. Sixty thousand, and ninety and nine—men famed in story—thou didst cast down with the wheel upon the chariot-way, on that ill-footed ground.

Translation

तू ने राजा के लिए यह काम किया। सुश्रवस आया था अपने बीस लोगों के साथ। बात हुई साठ हज़ार और निनानवे लोगों की, सब मशहूर थे। तू ने उन्हें रास्ते में, उस ख़राब ज़मीन पर, रथ के पहिये से गिरा दिया।

The meaning

What it says

Indra performed a mighty deed for the people’s king when Suśravas came with a twice-tenfold band; Indra cast down a famed host—sixty thousand and ninety-nine—by the wheel on the chariot-way on ill-footed ground.

The inner meaning

The ‘wheel’ is decisive momentum: when aligned with rightful leadership (janarājñah), force becomes order. Psychologically, the mantra describes how a coherent center (Indra-power) crushes dispersed inner enemies (doubts, impulses) on their own unstable ground (duṣpadā).

The truth in it

Power protects when it is integrated and timely; instability collapses under the pressure of disciplined motion.

What it is for

Kind of hymn

Rājanya/Indra-stuti (Royal power; martial protection)

Its aim

To secure Indra’s battle-aid for a patron-king: rout of enemies, fame, and protection of the allied host.

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Word by Word

Pada patha

त्वम् । ए॒ताम् । ज॒न॒राज्ञः॑ । द्विः-दशा॑-ब॒न्धुना॑ । सु॒श्रव॑सा । उप॒-ज॒ग्मुषः॑ । ष॒ष्टिम् । स॒हस्रा॑ । नव॒तिम् । नव॑ । श्रु॒तः । नि । च॒क्रेण॑ । रथ्या॑ । दुः-पदा॑ । अ॒वृ॒ण॒क्

त्वम्

youthou (Indra), the immediate divine agentPronounपुं/स्त्री/नपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot युष्मद्

एताम्

this (her/this one)this (aid/act), the present interventionPronoun/Adjectiveस्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot एतद्

जनराज्ञः

of the people’s queenof the people-king; the ruler as war-leaderNounस्त्री, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root जनराज्ञी (जन + राज्ञी)

द्विर्दशाबन्धुना

with (your) kinsman of twenty (i.e., ‘twentyfold’/‘having twenty as kin’)Noun (compound)पुं, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot द्विर्दशाबन्धु (द्विः-दश + बन्धु)

सुश्रवसा

with good fame; renownedwith Suśravas; the famed one (proper name), Indra’s protégéAdjectiveपुं, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot सुश्रवस्

उपजग्मुषः

of/for the one(s) who have come near; having approachedhaving approached/come near (for help); the suppliant allyVerb (participial)परस्मैपद, लिट्-कृदन्त (परिपूर्ण/भूतार्थ), क्त्वसु-प्रत्ययान्त ‘जग्मुष्’; षष्ठी/प्रथमा?—यहाँ षष्ठी बहुवचन/एकवचन-सम्बन्धार्थ (सन्दर्भतः ‘आगतस्य/आगतानाम्’)Role सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी) / विशेषणRoot उप-गम्

षष्टिम्

sixtyNumeral (noun-like)स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot षष्टि

सहस्राणि

thousandsNumeral/Nounनपुंसक, द्वितीया, बहुवचनRole कर्मRoot सहस्र

नवतिम्

ninetyNumeral (noun-like)स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचनRole कर्मRoot नवति

नव

nineNumeralअव्ययRole विशेषण (संख्या)Root नव

श्रुतः

heard of; renownedheard-of, famed; (also) the report/renown of the slainAdjective/Participleपुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कृत-प्रत्यय: क्त)Role कर्तृ (विशेष्यः)Root श्रु (→ श्रुत)

नि

down; in; firmlydown, utterly (intensifier of destruction)Preverb/Indeclinableअव्ययRole क्रियाविशेषणRoot नि

चक्रेण

with a wheelwith the wheel (of the chariot); the crushing weaponNounनपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचनRole करणRoot चक्र

रथ्याः

of the chariot-road; roadwayNounस्त्री, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root रथ्या

दुष्पदाः

of bad footing; hard to treadAdjective/Nounस्त्री, षष्ठी, एकवचनRole सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)Root दुष्पदा (दुस् + पदा)

अवृणक्

he/it chose; selected; tookhe smote/overthrew; made to fall (Indra’s decisive act)Verbलुङ् (आorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचनRole कर्तृRoot वृज्/वृण् (वृणक्ति)

Sandhi Notes

• त्वम् + एताम्
• जनराज्ञो → जनराज्ञः (visarga before voiced consonant in saṃhitā)
• द्विर्दशाबन्धुना is a compound (द्विः-दश + बन्धु) with internal sandhi
• सुश्रवसा + उपजग्मुषः (no external sandhi change beyond saṃhitā joining)
• षष्टिं सहस्रा नवतिं नव = coordinated numerals
• श्रुतो → श्रुतः (saṃhitā o/ḥ alternation before following ni)
• नि + चक्रेण
• रथ्या + दुष्पदा + अवृणक् (genitive chain: ‘of the roadway of bad footing’ + verb)

Seer, deity and metre

Rishi

Traditionally Ṛgvedic provenance (Indra hymn material incorporated into AV 20)

Devata

Indra

Chandas

Triṣṭubh/Jagatī-type cadence typical of RV Indra narratives (exact meter requires full pada scansion).

Rasa

Vira and Raudra

Sayana's Commentary

The Seer

The Deity

The Metre

The Rite

In the Home

Substances

Magic Charm Layer

Symbols in this Mantra

Yogic Application

Chanting Notes

Practical Application

Scholarly Questions